Portland's Women's World Cup Field Donated to Youth Sports Facility

NewsOct 7, 2003

PORTLAND, Ore. (Tuesday, October 7, 2003) - The natural grass field installed for the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 matches at PGE Park in Portland is being transported to the Gresham Sports Park, where it will serve as a much-needed playing surface for area youth soccer players. Installation of the grass will occur Wednesday and Thursday at the park on SE Palmquist Road (just east of SE Hogan Ave.) in Gresham. The transfer of the grass to the sports park was made possible by donations from the U.S. Soccer Foundation and several other parties.

"We are delighted that the 2003 Women's World Cup will have a lasting legacy by providing thousands of deserving youth in the Gresham area with the opportunity to play soccer on the official Women's World Cup field," said Drew Mahalic, CEO of the Oregon Sports Authority.

The Gresham Youth Sports Alliance is organized as a non-profit association of Gresham area community sports and recreation groups to provide activity choices for community youth through the development and operation, in cooperation with the city of Gresham, of a community youth sports park. The planned sports park is expected to include two soccer fields, two Babe Ruth baseball fields, three ASA softball fields, an indoor soccer pavilion, outdoor amphitheatre, playgrounds, basketball courts, indoor gymnasiums, an indoor skate park and a community center. Learn more about the Gresham Sports Park Project at www.gysa.org.